Mike Greenlar / The Post-StandardThe sun sets on Onondaga Lake Sunday evening in Liverpool.Syracuse, NY -- Long ago, the Peacemaker brought together five nations on the shore of Onondaga Lake to bury their weapons of war and form the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. The lake, its waters, plants, fish, birds and animals were an intrinsic part of their existence.

But human intervention contaminated the lake and killed off much of its wildlife. Now, all must work together to restore it.

So states the “vision for a clean Onondaga Lake” unveiled Monday by the Onondaga Nation at Syracuse Stage. The 12-page document was read by Seneca Indian Henry Lickers, a biologist on the Mohawk territory at Akwesasne.

“We will be sure that the lake is clean enough to drink the water and eat the fish, and clean enough for children to play and swim in the water,” Lickers said. “We will strengthen our culture and restore our trust in the lake.”

The vision explains the natural order of life: “The rabbits feed the wolves. The wolves feed the land. The great cycle will go on.”

But human-inflicted damage has marred that order. From salt solution mining in the Tully Valley, to PCBs, dioxins and mercury in the water, pollution has threatened its very essence.

“Due to global warming, the sun’s rays are reaching the earth in ways that are harmful to all of us,” the vision states. “Global warming and the sun’s rays affect the life cycles of fish within Onondaga Lake and will change the habitat so that different plants and animals will thrive along its shores.”

The light pollution from Syracuse has hidden the stars and the shores remain scarred from salt and limestone mining, the vision states.

Lauren Long / The Post-StandardNeil Murphy, President of the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, speaks on the importance of sustainability efforts during a program at Syracuse Stage Monday night titled, "The Onondaga Nation's Vision for a Clean Onondaga Lake." From left to right are biologist Henry Lickers (Seneca, Turtle Clan); Onondaga Nation Chief Jake Edwards; Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney; Murphy; Jack Manno, professor of Environmental Studies at SUNY ESF; Andrew Maxwell, Director of Planning and Sustainability for the City of Syracuse; and Meredith Perreault, Senior Scientist and Project Manager for the Onondaga Environmental Institute.Jake Edwards, an Onondaga chief, said that everyone needs to work together “on the river of life.”

“It’s not just Onondaga Lake, but all waters that are sacred,” he said. “Every tear drop is sacred. It’s a special thing we take for granted, because we have tear drops once in awhile. It’s the natural law.”

Despite the heartache of seeing a polluted Onondaga Lake, Edwards sees a great opportunity ahead.

He expressed gratitude to the large audience Monday that included people from the local universities, the Nation and community members. One man was escorted out of the auditorium after continually interrupting the speakers.

Speaking in support of the vision were Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney, the president of the State University College of Environmental Science and Forestry Neil Murphy, Syracuse’s Director of Planning and Sustainability Andrew Maxwell and Meredith Perreault, a scientist with the Onondaga Environmental Institute.

At one point, Edwards drew laughter while making a speech on the importance of water. During a pause, he said, “Speaking of water, I need mine.”

Later, he referred to that moment in his vision for Onondaga Lake.

“On the Onondaga Lake, we can set a precedence and have a glass of water from the lake,” he said. “We can drink and show the world what we can do together.”

Sacred Waters II

Three speakers will discuss the Onondaga Nation’s opposition to hydrofracking at “Sacred Waters II: The Dangers of Hydrofracking” at 7 p.m. April 26 at Syracuse Stage, 820 E. Genesee St.

Scheduled to speak are Denise Waterman, an Onondaga Nation teacher and environmental activist; Helen Slottje, an environmental attorney from Ithaca; and Freida Jacques, a nation leader for more than three decades.

Admission is free. A reception and small-group discussion will follow.

Hydrofracking is a method of extracting natural gas from underground. Drillers shoot millions of gallons of water, chemicals and sand into wells to break up underground shale and create microscopic pathways for natural gas to escape.

Advocates want to use it to tap into the Marcellus Shale, a formation under much of upstate New York, parts of Pennsylvania and Ohio and all of West Virginia and one of North America’s biggest natural gas fields. Opponents say the practice poses too great a risk of environmental and ground water damage.